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Apple announced 15 Apple Arcade titles on November 13, 2024. The lineup rolled out in three waves—December 5, December 9, and January 9, 2025—and mixed new games, a remake, Final Fantasy releases, and existing App Store games adapted as Apple Arcade “+” editions.
Those dates are now historical. The announcement did not mean that all 15 games were entirely new, nor that every title supported every Apple device. Two games—Little Cities: Diorama and Gears & Goo—were identified for Apple Vision Pro.
The complete Apple Arcade release schedule
Apple’s holiday and early-2025 announcement was divided across three release dates rather than a single launch day.
| Release date | Titles |
|---|---|
| December 5, 2024 | Talking Tom Blast Park; Boggle: Arcade Edition; PAC-MAN 256+; Hot Wheels: Race Off+; Barbie Color Creations+; Little Cities: Diorama |
| December 9, 2024 | FINAL FANTASY IV (3D REMAKE)+; FF IV: THE AFTER YEARS+ |
| January 9, 2025 | Skate City: New York; Gears & Goo; Three Kingdoms HEROES; FINAL FANTASY+; Trials of Mana+; Rodeo Stampede+; It’s Literally Just Mowing+ |
Apple’s announcement and independent coverage from iDrop News and iPhone in Canada reported the same three-wave schedule.
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December 5: family games, arcade editions, and a Vision Pro city builder
Talking Tom Blast Park
Developed by Outfit7, Talking Tom Blast Park centers on Talking Tom and his friends defending Blast Park from the Rakoonz with comic weapons and blasters. It was the most family-oriented headline in the first wave.
The other December 5 releases
- Boggle: Arcade Edition: An Apple Arcade edition of the word game.
- PAC-MAN 256+: An Apple Arcade version of the endless PAC-MAN game.
- Hot Wheels: Race Off+: An Apple Arcade edition of the Hot Wheels racing title.
- Barbie Color Creations+: A coloring and customization game built around Barbie.
- Little Cities: Diorama: A spatial version of the city-building game designed for Apple Vision Pro.
December 9: two Final Fantasy IV releases
FINAL FANTASY IV (3D REMAKE)+
This is a 3D remake of Square Enix’s classic RPG, not simply a new numbered sequel. The announced version included updated graphics, gameplay improvements, and voice acting for event scenes. The original Final Fantasy IV is also notable for introducing the series’ Active Time Battle system.
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FF IV: THE AFTER YEARS+
FF IV: THE AFTER YEARS+ is the Apple Arcade edition of the sequel to Final Fantasy IV’s story. Releasing alongside the 3D remake made December 9 the clearest role-playing-game event in the announcement.
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January 9: Skate City, spatial strategy, and five “+” editions
Skate City: New York
Developed by Snowman and Agens, Skate City: New York expands the skateboarding series into New York locations, with trick-focused play at its center. It was the announcement’s clearest new flagship-style game for players looking for an original-style Apple Arcade release rather than a catalog adaptation.
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Gears & Goo
Gears & Goo is a spatial game from Resolution Games that combines base building and tower-defense mechanics. It was designed for Apple Vision Pro, making it the most technically distinctive title in the January wave.
The remaining January 9 releases
- Three Kingdoms HEROES: A strategy game based on the Three Kingdoms setting.
- FINAL FANTASY+: An Apple Arcade edition of the original Final Fantasy.
- Trials of Mana+: An Apple Arcade edition of Square Enix’s action RPG.
- Rodeo Stampede+: An Apple Arcade edition of the animal-catching endless runner.
- It’s Literally Just Mowing+: An Apple Arcade edition of the lawn-mowing simulation game.
Were all 15 games genuinely new?
No. “15 new titles” accurately describes Apple’s announcement of 15 additions to the planned Apple Arcade lineup, but it should not be read as 15 brand-new game concepts.
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- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up. *Based on the graphic performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform vs the Meta Quest 2 platform.
| Type | Examples | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New or newly announced games | Talking Tom Blast Park; Skate City: New York; Gears & Goo | Newly presented releases or new entries built for the service’s lineup. |
| Remake | FINAL FANTASY IV (3D REMAKE)+ | A reworked version of an older game with updated presentation and gameplay changes. |
| Existing-game Apple Arcade editions | PAC-MAN 256+; Trials of Mana+; Rodeo Stampede+ | The “+” suffix identifies an Apple Arcade edition or adaptation. It does not automatically mean a sequel. |
| Vision Pro spatial titles | Little Cities: Diorama; Gears & Goo | Titles specifically identified with Apple’s spatial-computing platform. |
Which games were for Apple Vision Pro?
The announcement specifically identified two Vision Pro titles:
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- Little Cities: Diorama, released in the December 5 wave.
- Gears & Goo, released in the January 9 wave.
That does not establish that every game in the 15-title lineup was playable on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. Device support can vary by title and may change, so check the current App Store or Apple Arcade listing before installing or buying hardware. Apple’s official Vision Pro page provides current product information, but the 2024 announcement alone does not establish the present availability of either game.
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Best picks by player type
- RPG fans: FINAL FANTASY IV (3D REMAKE)+, FF IV: THE AFTER YEARS+, FINAL FANTASY+, and Trials of Mana+.
- Family and casual players: Talking Tom Blast Park, Boggle: Arcade Edition, PAC-MAN 256+, Barbie Color Creations+, and It’s Literally Just Mowing+.
- Racing and action players: Hot Wheels: Race Off+, Skate City: New York, and Rodeo Stampede+.
- Strategy and simulation players: Three Kingdoms HEROES, Little Cities: Diorama, and Gears & Goo.
What the announcement meant for Apple Arcade
The lineup offered variety rather than a single defining genre. The Final Fantasy releases supplied the biggest traditional role-playing draw, Skate City: New York represented the strongest new-style headline, and Gears & Goo showcased Apple Vision Pro’s spatial format. Alongside them were recognizable family brands and a substantial group of “+” editions.
For readers assessing Apple Arcade today, the relevant question is not whether these games are still “coming”—they were scheduled for release between December 2024 and January 2025—but whether each remains in the current catalog and supports the device they own. Apple Arcade games can receive updates, change supported-device requirements, or leave the service. Check the official Apple Arcade page and the individual App Store listings for current availability, regional restrictions, and hardware support.
Bottom line
Apple’s November 2024 announcement covered 15 titles released in three waves: six on December 5, two on December 9, and seven on January 9. It was a mixed lineup—not 15 wholly new games—with new releases, a 3D remake, Final Fantasy additions, and existing games carrying the Apple Arcade “+” label. Only Little Cities: Diorama and Gears & Goo were specifically identified as Apple Vision Pro titles.
Quick Recap
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